Withering
by LionessDeity
Summary: Sekhmet remains in the shadow of her rampage on the world. Sometimes she wishes she could do it again. Basically, a collection of Sekhmet one shots while she's captive to be summoned by the House of Life.
1. Chapter 1

**6/2517 - 7/9/17**

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 _Sekhmet sighed as she watched Nefertum playing in the reeds. "No, NO!" That got her son's attention. She held up the bag of sand. "Look at the enemy," She said, gesturing to a rather poorly drawn red snake on the sand bag. "Look at the enemy, get the enemy and devour him!" She said. Maahes, on the other hand, hit the sandbag hard enough it swayed. She nudged him back. "Back! This is not your training!" She shouted at Maahes. She prodded him with the small sword. Bast rushed in and took Maahes yards away from her. Nefertum looked at the sand back and poked it. She whistled and called Nefertum from the tall reeds before she lost him._

 _She handed him the smaller sword before drawing her own. "Watch!" She said and slashed at the sandbag. Grains poured as Nefertum just watched. He tried copying the move, though he didn't get as far in as his mother did. Sekhmet instead pursed her lips and nodded. Not the reaction Nefertum expected. "You're getting there," She said. Nefertum then went right back into the fields, tossing the sword aside. Sekhmet lunged out to grab him only for him to escape her grasp. She sighed and rubbed her temples._

" _Isn't it disappointing? How they never grow the way you want them to?"_

 _Sekhmet's blood ran cold._

" _Mut… " She hissed. "Let me guess, the title of Eye of Ra is what you want?" Sekhmet said_ — _Borderline snarled_ — _, with a mocking tone, not even turning around. She grabbed Nefertum from the reeds and had him sit on a rock._

" _Why not? Since you past failure, and still, yet you're not- Oh, how do the mortals say it- fired, is it?"_

 _Sekhmet growled and dropped her sword. Sekhmet knew damn well that was NOT a pun and Mut knew it, too. She cracked her knuckles. If she wanted to beat the hell out of an enemy, and not even a small enemy, like the humans, but as hated as a god, she might as well do it right._

" _Fine!" Sekhmet said. Remember, you wanted this."_

" _Count to three?" Mut offered._

 _Sekhmet leaned into Nefertum. "Watch here, child. Mommy's gonna show you how to kick ass," she said. Mut made the last two numbers quick before Sekhmet spun back around and roundhouse kicked Mut._

 _Before Mut could strike back, a familiar horn sounded. That was the worst sound. "Nefertum!" She shouted as Mut forced her off. Sekhmet landed back on her feet and grabbed out her best knife. She soared towards Nefertum before he could disappear. "Take this, get into the Duat, find Anubis, and stay with him. Go!" She said and watched him vanish in a flash of gold. The next she saw was a man in white robes, chanting. glowing chains grabbed her by the wrist and ankles and forced her onto her knees._

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Sekhmet awoke with a jolt, her breathing heavy and her pulse raging twice than she could. She glared at the gray stone ceiling that held her captive until her next summoning. She glared at the enchanted bars that would burn her if she even bothered to break them. She wrestled herself up and kicked the metal with a curse. She grabbed the bars and winced as the steam that rose from her hands. The end result of using weapons against it was still fresh on her mind as if they didn't happen over 3000 years ago. Her scarred arms and chest were her reminders.

She scooted to the back of the cell, her head throbbing. Oh Ra, she never felt anything as painful as the first time she was summoned. There was a light. It engulfed her whole and the only thing she could see again was red. She knew her enemies' names. The Kanes. She roared as she surged through the red and saw a floating wicker boat in front of her. She was in full armor. She knew what to do. "KANES!" She roared.

The next thing she knew, there was a tang in her tongue. "What is it? Nubian? Persian?" "Jalapeño." The boy in the glowing gold falcon said. "You tricked me!" She roared. "You tricked—" Oh gods... There was that feeling again. She felt like she was going to vomit as her engorged gut went from a gold to a dark brown. Her ears hardening into horns. Her claws fused to become hooves. Finally, she blacked out.

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 **LD: This is something I've had a while back and never got around posting or editing this. I originally planned it to be part of a sequel but canceled the idea. Nefertum's side is on the way. Just in another story.**


	2. Chapter 2

7/31/17 - 8/19/17

 **LD: Thank you to OceanHuntress for reviewing the first chapter.**

CHP 2

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For decades, maybe centuries, He watched her. She was graceful. Ptah smiled at Sekhmet, utterly destroying several demons at once. She flew far into the crowd bellowing obscenities and other curses. Ra stood by him. "You want my daughter as a wife?" Ra wanted to confirm. "Yes!" Ptah almost shouted. Ra clicked his beak. "I'll see to her about this." He said and vanished in a flurry of fire.

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Sekhmet entered the temple, wiping the sweat from her brow. "My Lady," The first servant greeted, bowing. The servant was dressed in a dress and she stripped Sekhmet of her armor and went off to store it for the polishers.

"My Lady, I should ask you. Your father wanted to see you," the servant girl caught up.

"If it's about the last stock of beer for the humans, it was not me this time."

"Actually, it's another matter. It's about Ptah." Sekhmet stopped and turned to the girl.

"Is it urgent?" Sekhmet said.

"He says so. It's about your hand in Marriage…?" The girl feigned remembrance. Sekhmet turned and rushed to her bedroom. She rummaged through her room until she found the strongest bottle of beer she had yet and drank. She downed the bottle halfway until she recovered. Her being married!? It sounded impossible!

She did her best to breathe normally. Before she knew it, she was fanned by several servants, still trying to breathe normally. "Tell my father I'll be there in an hour," Sekhmet said and dismissed the rest of the servants. She slipped on a shield over her shoulders and summoned a spear. Just in case, she thought and left for the Table.

She saw the table crowded, Hathor next to Horus and Ra, grinning widely. "Sister it is a big day-" Ra flicked her horns. "No spoilers, remember?" he said. Hathor was just jittery. "Why am I here?" Sekhmet said, growing impatient. She yelped, nocking an arrow when Ptah tapped her shoulder. "Ptah!" She lowered her bow. "What are you doing here?"

Ptah manifested a rose-gold ring. A small orb of fire hovering the ring. Hathor was throwing her hands ups. "Sekhmet, I have been watching and waiting for this moment," "What is it?" Sekhmet was still clueless. Hathor was incoherent on any muttered she had to muster down. "Will you marry me?" Ptah said. Sekhmet was wide-eyed.

Sekhmet smiled and hugged him. "Yes!" She said. They kissed.

"It's done, then!" Ra said.

What humans called the Reception, the gods called another lazy portion of the wedding. Ptah watched Hathro stare at the ground, glancing up at either Sekhmet and Bast. Ptah knew what she was worried about.

"You better not cheat on her," Hathor said.

"I know, your father will kill me."

"Oh honey, he's not going to kill you. Sekhmet will." Hathor patted his shoulder and walked to Horus. The honeymoon was quick. Sekhmet had a break from her usual beer and had some of the champagne Ptah manifested.

"Mediocre," Sekhmet said.

Needless to say A few years later, they had a child, whom Ptah named Nefertum.

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Every night, since the wedding, it was the same routine. Both Sekhmet and Ptah go out to do their magic. Until a servant girl walked in on Ptah and Bast in bed. The servant girl screamed and shut the door behind her. The thud behind her indicated a knife. She ran into the front of the temple. She sits next to the main entrance of the temple. As far as she knew, Ptah shouldn't have come home until sundown. Sekhmet and Ptah almost always met at sundown. She clutched her head, muttering. Hell even as far as she knew, Bast, Ptah, and Sekhmet weren't in a polyamorous relationship. She prayed to Ra Sekhmet would be merciful to her.

Thundering footsteps rung as Sekhmet entered the temple. It was time to face the music. The servant girl got up from her spot and pulled out one of the oldest but still edible bowls of grapes she could find and offered Sekhmet some. "My Lady, I should say," She stopped. Sekhmet devours a stem of grapes and waited for her to finish. "Ptah and Bast are in your room." Sekhmet stopped chewing. She slowly swallowed the mouthful.

Sekhmet grit her teeth. "What?" she said again, slinging her arrows and bow back over her shoulders. The servant's foot stepped to the side, ready to make a run for it. "Please, I'm only telling what I saw. It could be a mere misunderstanding. But I just saw Ptah and Bast… " she said, almost begging. Sekhmet pushed past the servant girl and made her way towards Ptah's and her room. She kicked the door open. She screamed, her claws shot out.

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He saw the servant girl. Before Bast could throw a knife at her, she had screamed and run back out, shutting the door behind her.

He knew that moment when the door was kicked open, he was going to die. Sekhmet stood at the door. Claws out, teeth sharp, and bows and arrows for backup. Or if he was lucky, a mercy kill. Ptah and Bast immediately covered up in the covers. Sekhmet drew her sword. Bast manifested her knives. Ptah reeled back as blades clashed. Sekhmet kicked Bast out of the mattress and raised her claws. Bast rolled out as Sekhmet's claws sank into the marble with cracks surrounding the holes. Sekhmet chased Bas out of the room before pulling out her bow and an arrow. A sickly green arrow that lit the room better than the candles that surrounded Ptah.

She raised the bow, aimed, and fired the arrow. The arrow sailed through the hall as Bast threw herself to the side of the hall. The arrow hit the end of the hall where a red liquid ate through the wall, revealing the light of dawn. Ptah never saw bast after the incident. He was forced to watch his wife come through the door every night when it was her time to retire. She'd drink and wander to bed. She never spoke of the matter, and Ptah was fine with that.

Ra stood behind him with a disappointed look. "I never minded Polyamory," Ra admitted.

"Please! Fuse them back together!" Ptah was begging, now. If he had to get down to his knees, he would. Ra closed his eyes and sighed. Ptah could tell it was the wisest choice. Ra was aware Sekhmet could feel more than just rage and he knew Sekhmet was satisfied as a single being. "Fine," Ra said and turned to leave. "I will have Hathor and Thoth ready in the morning—"

"Now!" Ptah said.

"What?" Ra turned back.

"I need them together now."

Ptah grabbed Ra's staff and lead him into Sekhmet's room. "Here, while she's asleep, hurry!" He whispered. Ra forced Ptah off. "I will alert Hathor and Thoth First! We are doing this in the morning."

Dawn came and Sekhmet woke before anyone else. "My father wanted us at the Temple. You were invited." She said, pouring a glass of beer and coffee. Ptah remembered that Sekhmet never came home. Hathor didn't come to their temple. Only Bast came in, scratches all over. Sadly, Annulments were invented at that time. Bast hugged him when she was close enough.

"Where's Sekhmet? Or Hathor," Ptah said.

"In the Duat," Bast said.

"Is she doing alright?"

"Hmm," Bast looked up at the temple ceiling. "I think so. Horus is a little shaken up about the whole ordeal."

Ptah remembered when Horus married Hathor and the four kids they had. Hapi being one of them. "Oh yeah, The four sons," he muttered. "Speaking of sons… " Bast said. Ptah's heart stopped. "Oh dear Ra, no…" he whispered.

He disappeared in a matter of seconds.

* * *

Almost three decades later, Ptah heard of the new child Bast had bore. He found his name was Maahes and he was nothing like Bast. Sekhmet was less than pleased upon hearing. The longer he thought of his sons, the more he grew sick. He couldn't find Nefertum, and the only chance he got to see Maahes was when Bast wouldn't threaten to rip his eyes out.

Almost five centuries later, he saw Nefertum and Sekhmet in the fields. Sekhmet tossed him her best knife and Nefertum disappeared. Oh gods, did he want to reach out and wrap his arms around the both of them.

 **LD: I know, I know, I type like I'm being paid by the line.**


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